Adjustable telephone headset

ABSTRACT

A telephone headset including a boom microphone, a earphone, and an ear support constructed and arranged to be adjustable and comfortable for a wearer. The headset is configured with an adjustable ear support to fit a variety of ear sizes without affecting the balance of the ear support on the ear of the wearer. The ear support includes a rotational hinge which is biased into a given position by a compression washer. The earphone is removably and adjustably attached to a mounting ring which in turn is movably attached to the ear support by a spring biased ball and socket joint. The combination of flexible joints and removability of the earphone provides the degrees of freedom and stiction necessary to permit the earphone to be worn comfortably on either ear of the wearer. A strain relief for the electrical connections is attached to the earphone which directs the electrical connections toward the plane of the head, thereby eliminating a torque which otherwise would tend to dislodge the ear support from the ear. The earphone includes a series of openings in its rear surface to maximize its acoustics. The boom microphone includes a spring biased ball and socket joint to movably fix the orientation of the microphone with respect to the wearer to a good comfort level. The boom microphone ball and socket joint is configured with a tab and stop to prohibit 360 degree rotation of the boom to prevent strain on the electrical connections to the microphone.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/505,115,filed Jul 21, 1995, now abandoned, which is a division of applicationSer. No. 08/231,981, filed Apr. 21, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,788,which was a continuation of Ser. No. 07/952,967, filed Sep. 29, 1992,now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of telephone headsets and moreparticularly to telephone headsets having an ear support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Telephone headsets permit the use of a telephone microphone and earphonewhile freeing the user's hands for other activities such as note takingand computer keyboard entry. The earliest forms of headsets included anearphone portion which included an over-the-head band which positioned aspeaker adjacent the ear of a user and a microphone portion which restedon the user's chest and which included a "horn" to conduct sound fromthe user's mouth to the microphone. As the technology progressed, theheadsets became smaller and lighter and the modern headset now includesa ear support portion which rests on the ear of a user and whichpositions an earphone against the ear of a user without the use of anover-the-head band. The microphone portion of a modern headset mayinclude a microphone at the end of a boom attached to the ear support,or alternatively the microphone may be positioned within the ear supportand sound brought to it from the user's mouth by way of a hollow boom.

The concern today is to make the headset as non-intrusive andcomfortable as possible. In such an attempt to make the new headsetsmore comfortable, the ear support has been contoured to better fitbetween the pinna of the ear and the mastoid process of the skull andhas been made to adjust to a wide variety of ear sizes. However, theboom microphone and the electrical cable apply torques to the earsupport which tends to dislodge the headset from the ear of the wearer.This tendency reduces the comfort level of the wearer.

The present invention provides a headset in which the ear support isadjustable to fit a variety of ear sizes without affecting the balanceof the ear support on the ear of the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to telephone headsets having an ear support,earphone and boom microphone. In one embodiment the headset isconfigured with an adjustable ear support to fit a variety of ear sizeswithout affecting the balance of the ear support on the ear of thewearer. One aspect of the invention is that the ear support includes arotational hinge which is biased into a given position by a compressionwasher, thereby providing a durable joint.

Another aspect of the invention is that the earphone is removably andadjustably attached to a mounting ring. The earphone includes a housingwhich includes detents which engage a channel in the mounting ring topermit the earphone to rotate within the mounting ring.

Yet another aspect of the invention is that the mounting ring is movablyattached to the ear support by a spring biased ball and socket joint.The combination of flexible joints and removability of the earphoneprovides the degrees of freedom necessary to permit the earphone to beworn comfortably on either ear of the wearer. The earphone is biasedtoward the plane of the head to provide good acoustic coupling with theear.

Still another aspect of the invention is that a strain relief for theelectrical connections is attached to the earphone which directs theelectrical connections toward the plane of the head. This configurationeliminates a torque which otherwise would tend to dislodge the earsupport from the ear of the wearer.

Still yet another aspect of the invention is that the earphone housing,which is sized for the ear, includes a series of openings in its rearsurface to maximize its acoustic performance.

Another aspect of the invention is that the boom microphone includes aspring biased ball and socket joint to movably fix the orientation ofthe microphone with respect to the wearer. The boom microphone ball andsocket joint is configured with a tab and stop to prohibit 360 degreerotation of the boom thereby to prevent strain on the electricalconnections to the microphone. The spring biased ball and socket jointprovides long-term position retention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other features and benefits of the invention can be more clearlyunderstood with reference to the specification and the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a drawing of an embodiment of the telephone headset of theinvention positioned on the head of a wearer;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the boom microphone and earphone portionof the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2a is a side view of the boom microphone and earphone portion ofthe embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the boom microphone portion of the embodimentof the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3a is an exploded diagram of the ball joint of the boom microphoneportion of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional diagram of the ball joint of the boommicrophone portion of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an exploded view of the boom microphone andearphone portion of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an exploded view of the ear support portion ofthe embodiment of the telephone headset of the invention shown in FIG.1; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram of the ear support portion of theembodiment of the telephone headset of the invention shown in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In brief overview, and referring to FIG. 1, a telephone headset 10constructed in accordance with the invention, includes a boom microphoneportion 12; a earphone portion 18; and an ear support portion 20. Theboom microphone portion 12 includes a microphone portion 14 (shown inphantom enclosed in a foam shield 22) positioned at one end of a hollowmicrophone boom 16. The other end of the microphone boom 16 is movablyattached to the earphone portion 18. The ear support portion 20, whichis removably attached to the earphone portion 18, rests on theoperator's ear in a manner that positions the earphone portion 18adjacent the operator's ear and the microphone portion 14 adjacent theoperator's mouth.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 2a, the microphone boom 16 is attached to oneside of an earphone housing assembly 30 of the earphone portion 18 by aball joint assembly 32 about which more will be said below. Electricalsignals are supplied to the earphone portion 18 and received from theboom microphone portion 12 by way of a multiconductor wire 34 whichenters the earphone housing assembly 30 through a strain relief 36.

Referring also to FIGS. 3, 3a and 3b, the ball joint assembly 32 of theboom microphone portion 12 includes a cup-shaped canister 40, throughwhich the microphone boom 16 passes, which retains the other componentsof the ball joint assembly 32 and anchors the ball joint assembly 32 tothe earphone portion 18. A ball 44 of plastic is molded to the end ofthe microphone boom 16 opposite to the end of the microphone boom 16 towhich the microphone portion 14 is attached. The end of the microphoneboom 16 to which the ball 44 is attached includes two tabs 55 (one shownin phantom in FIG. 3b) formed from a flat bar welded to the boom, whichprevent the ball 44 from rotating on the microphone boom 16. The ball 44has a hollow diameter 46 which permits wires 34' to pass through theball 44 and the microphone boom 16 to the microphone portion 14.

The microphone portion 14 includes a plastic forward housing 15 which ismolded to the other end of the microphone boom 16. Once the wires enterthe forward housing 15, the opening to the microphone boom 16 is sealedwith a low viscosity RTV plastic to prevent acoustic waves fromtraveling up the microphone boom 16. When the microphone electronics(not shown) have been electrically connected to the wires from themicrophone boom 16, the rear cover 17 of the microphone portion 14 isattached to the forward housing 15.

When assembled, the ball 44 rests against a cup portion 50 of a socketassembly 52 thus forming a ball and socket joint. The socket assembly 52includes a tab 54 which engages a slot 56 in the wall of the canister 40and prevents the socket assembly 52 from rotating with the ball 44. Aspring 58, retained within the canister 40 by a retaining plate 60,biases the socket assembly 52 toward the ball 44. The ball 44 ispressed, between the cup portion 50 of the socket assembly 52 and thepartially closed end 62 of the canister 40, with a force sufficient tomaintain a given orientation of the microphone boom 16 with respect tothe canister 40, when the microphone boom 16 is positioned by theoperator. The ball 44 includes a tab 64 extending radially from theouter surface of the ball 44. This tab 64 abuts a rotation preventingtab 68 of the socket assembly 52 as the microphone boom 16 is rotated apredetermined amount, thus preventing full 360 degree rotation of themicrophone boom 16. Complete rotation is prevented so that themulticonductor wire 34', entering the microphone boom 16, is preventedfrom twisting and breaking.

Referring also to FIG. 4, the canister 40 fits into a canister opening78 in the rear cover 80 of the earphone housing assembly 30. A canisterlocking tab 72 in the canister opening 78 engages a canister lockingcavity 70 in the canister 40, and prevents the canister 40 from rotatingwithin the canister opening 78.

The forward portion 86 of the strain relief 36 engages a strain reliefopening 82 (shown in phantom) opposite the canister opening 78 in therear cover 80 of the earphone housing assembly 30. Once the forwardportion 86 of the strain relief 36 is positioned in the strain reliefopening 82, a strain relief clip 90 retains the forward portion 86 ofstrain relief 36 within the rear cover 80 of the earphone housingassembly 30. A wire-retainer 92 holds the wire 34 within the strainrelief 36. The shape of the strain relief 36 is such that the wire 34 isangled toward the plane of the head adjacent the ear in order to preventthe wire 34 from extending beyond the plane of the pinna of the ear ofthe wearer. This reduces the torque on the ear support portion 20 whichwould tend to dislodge the ear support portion 20 from the ear.

The earphone housing assembly 30 is formed by the attachment of aforward housing 100 to the rear cover 80. The rear cover 80 includes aseries of openings 81 which provide the proper acoustic impedance forhigh speaker efficiency and frequency response while also providing goodhigh voltage breakdown protection. Additional openings 83, which are notthrough holes, provide aesthetic design without affecting acousticimpedance and without providing an additional electrostatic breakdownpath to the speaker terminals of the headset. An earphone speaker 102,with the desired high frequency and low frequency rolloffcharacteristics, is positioned within the forward housing 100 andisolated from the rear cover 80 by an open foam insert 110. Similarly,the earphone speaker 102 is isolated from the inside surface of theforward face 104 of the forward housing 100 by a cloth dust filter 108attached to the forward housing 100 by an adhesive ring 109 positionedabout the perimeter of the cloth filter 108. The earphone speaker 102 isattached to the housing 100 by an adhesive ring 110. A compressivespring 112, each end of which is seated in a dimple 105 in a respectiveresilient member 103 in the forward housing 100, biases the resilientmembers 103 in a radially outward direction.

Referring to FIG. 5, the ear support portion 20 includes a fixedcurvilinear member 120, assembled from a base portion 124 and a cover122, and a hollow adjustable curvilinear member 126 having an end cover130 and an engagement portion 132 defining a hole 134. One end of thebase portion 124 includes a metal shaft 136, upon which the hole 134 ofthe engagement portion 132 is located and about which the adjustablecurvilinear member 126 rotates. The engagement portion 132 of theadjustable curvilinear member 126 also includes a rotation tab 131. Therotation tab 131 rests in a rotation tab recess 133 when the engagementportion 132 of the adjustable curvilinear member 126 is positioned onthe metal shaft 136. The interaction of the engagement tab 131 and theengagement tab recess 133 restricts the amount the adjustablecurvilinear member 126 can rotate about the metal shaft 136 and hencelimits how far the ear support 20 can be opened. This limitationprevents the ear support 20 from opening too far and thus aids theoperator in positioning the ear support 20 on the ear.

The adjustable curvilinear member 126 is retained on the metal shaft 136of the base portion 124 by the cover portion 122. To permit theadjustable curvilinear member 126 to be maintained in any orientationrelative to the fixed curvilinear member 120, the engagement portion 132of the adjustable curvilinear member 126 is biased against the baseportion 124 of the fixed curvilinear member 120 by a compression washer138 located between two washers 140, 142 and held on the metal shaft 136by a clamp ring 144 positioned in a groove 137 in the metal shaft 136.The use of the compression washer 138 permits the easy adjustment of theadjustable curvilinear member 126 relative to the fixed curvilinear 120while permitting the orientation to be maintained once the relativepositions have been adjusted. In one embodiment, the compression washer138 is chosen to provide about 5.5 inch-oz. of force.

The earphone portion 18 is attached to the ear support portion 20 bymeans of a mounting ring 150, into which fits the forward housing 100 ofthe earphone housing assembly 30. Extending radially outwardly from thecircumference of mounting ring 150 is a ball 152 at the end of a ballstem 153. The ball 152 in conjunction with a cup socket 154 forms a balland socket joint which permits rotation (Arrow R) of the mounting ring150, and hence the earphone housing assembly 30, about an axis A of theball 152. The ball 152 and cup socket 154 are positioned within the baseportion 124 in a channel 156. The ball 152 and cup socket 154 are biasedtoward one outer end 160 of the base portion 124 by a spring 162. Oneend of the spring 162 is held in a spring retainer 164 at one end of thechannel 156. The other end of the spring 162 is retained by the cupsocket 154. A notch 168 in the base portion 124 permits the ball andsocket joint formed of the ball 152 and cup socket 154 to rotate (ArrowT) about the long axis B of the base portion 124 without interferencefrom the ball stem 153. In one embodiment, the combination of stictionproduced by the ball 152 and cup socket 154 and the resiliency of theear of the operator produces a force of about 2 oz. holding the earsupport 20 on the ear of the operator and providing good acousticcoupling to the ear.

It is the ability of the mounting ring 150 to rotate about both axes Aand B, which contributes the same headset to be used on either ear. Inaddition, the forward housing 100 includes a pair of detents 101, eachmounted on the outwardly resilient member 103, which engage a channel170 along a portion of the inner circumference of the mounting ring 150.This engagement permits the forward housing 100 to rotate (Arrow P)about an axis C perpendicular to the plane of the mounting ring 150.Depressions at each end of the channel 170 engage the detents 101 at thelimit of travel and prevent full 360 degree rotation about axis C.

By removing the earphone portion 18 from the mounting ring 150 androtating the mounting ring 150 one hundred and eighty degrees about axisA prior to reinserting the earphone portion 18 into the mounting ring150, the wearer is permitted to change upon which ear the headset isworn. The ability to rotate the earphone portion 18 about the B and Caxes provides the additional degrees of freedom which permit thetelephone headset 10 to be worn comfortably on either ear while stillpermitting the microphone 14 to be positioned adjacent the mouth of thewearer.

An external open foam ear cushion 114 (FIG. 4) may be attached to theoutside surface of the forward housing 100 by fitting the ear cushion114 over a lip 172 located on the forward outside perimeter of themounting ring 150.

Referring to FIG. 6, the ear support portion 20 is precisely shaped forcomfort. Aligning the ear support portion 20 such that the axis of theball stem 152 defines an x-axis and a perpendicular line through thecenter of the mounting ring 150 defines a y-axis, one extreme 180 of theinner curved surface 190 subtends an angle α and the metal shaft 136 islocated at an angle β with respect to the positive x-axis. When in itsmost closed position (shown in phantom 192), the inner surface 193 ofthe adjustable curvilinear member 126 forms a continuous curve withother extreme 194 of the inner curved surface 190.

The combination of all the features of the telephone headset 10 hereindescribed produces an extremely comfortable and individually adjustableheadset.

These and other examples of the concept of the invention illustratedabove are intended by way of example and the actual scope of theinvention is to be determined solely from the following claims.

We claim:
 1. An articulated headset support, to be worn on an ear, comprising:a main housing having an arcuate surface that rests on top of the ear and extends to the back of the ear behind the pinna; a secondary housing having an arcuate surface that adjustably contacts the lower-back portion of the ear behind the pinna; and friction hinge means for pivotally connecting said main housing in frictional communication with said secondary housing via a compression member, said hinge means being located behind the pinna at the back of the ear, said hinge means allowing the position of the main housing to be adjusted with respect to the secondary housing to permit the respective arcuate surfaces to be drawn closer together in a clamping motion; an engagement tab limiting adjustment of said pivotal connection to a range in an engagement tab recess so that a tight fit around the ear is achieved thereby providing enhanced stability.
 2. An articulated headset support, to be worn on an ear, comprising:a main housing having an arcuate surface that rests on top of the ear and extends to the back of the ear behind the pinna; a secondary housing having an arcuate surface that adjustably contacts the lower-back portion of the ear behind the pinna; and biased hinge means for pivotally connecting said main housing in frictional communication with said secondary housing via a compression member, said hinge means being located behind the pinna at the back of the ear, said hinge means allowing the position of the main housing to be adjusted with respect to the secondary housing to permit the respective arcuate surfaces to be drawn closer together in a clamping motion; an engagement tab limiting adjustment of said hinge means to a range in an engagement tab recess so that a tight fit around the ear is achieved thereby providing enhanced stability. 